With flicks and tricks aplenty, Brazil’s five-a-side soccer team are bringing a touch of samba magic to the Paralympics, as they target a fifth straight gold in Tokyo.
The nation that gave the world the jogo bonito “beautiful game” has just as much panache in five-a-side, which is played by athletes with visual impairments.
Brazil have won gold at every Paralympics since the sport debuted in 2004, and boast arguably its greatest player in Jefinho — known as the “Paralympic Pele.”
Photo: AFP
They started their campaign in Tokyo with a 3-0 win over China on Sunday, before yesterday beating Japan 4-0.
“Football is in the blood of Brazilians — this is a big pressure, because the Brazilian people always expect to win,” captain Ricardinho said.
“The Brazilian people expect results because we have the potential to be champions. If no one expected anything of us, it would be very bad,” he added.
Paralympic five-a-side is played with teams of four visually impaired outfield players, who wear blackout eyeshades, and a fully or partially sighted goalkeeper, who cannot leave his penalty area.
The ball contains a rattle so the players can hear where it is, and teams have two fully sighted coaches who give directions from beside the goal and behind the boards that surround the pitch.
Goalkeepers also offer full-throated guidance to their outfield teammates.
Brazil’s Luan says his role is about more than just keeping the ball out of the net.
“About 50 percent of the goalkeeper’s job is organizing the defense,” he said.
“We have to do this well so that the players can feel confident about their goalkeeper,” he added.
The players’ close-control skills are immediately apparent, shuffling the ball from one foot to the other as they make their way around the 40m-by-20m pitch.
Jefinho, who was born with glaucoma, began playing with a ball when he was young but lost his sight at the age of six.
He continued to play with his friends, wrapping the ball in a plastic bag so he could hear it rustling.
He is looking to win his fourth Paralympic gold in Tokyo, and he breaks into a wide grin when his name is mentioned in the same breath as Brazilian legend Pele.
“It’s sensational to be compared to the greatest footballer ever,” the 31-year-old said.
“He’s our reference — we always try to learn from him, on the pitch and off it. Being compared to Pele is a great feeling. I’m very happy about it,” he added.
Brazil’s first goal of the tournament came from a direct free-kick.
First, the team’s attacking coach provided some orientation by tapping both posts and the crossbar with a metal rod, and shouting from behind the center of the goal.
Nonato then blasted the ball past the Chinese goalkeeper, before running back screaming to celebrate with his teammates.
“We’re very happy with the result,” Brazil’s Cassio said after the match.
“From the first second of the game, we knew what we wanted to do. China are one of the contenders for the gold medal — a very fast team — but we did a very good job today,” he added.
Brazil’s mission in Tokyo is far from finished.
Nothing less than gold will suffice for the world’s most successful team, and Cassio is aware of the expectations that come with representing his soccer-mad nation.
“It’s a great responsibility because of our history, and we’re conscious that our history is built on a lot of hard work and dedication,” he said.
“We’re just carrying on the legacy of everyone who played at the previous Paralympics. The results come when you do a good job,” he added.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS